It won’t matter if you’re in a board meeting in Sydney; on a tractor outside Goomalling, or walking the dog in Launceston. If your phone is switched on, it will probably screech out the new national emergency alert sound. For some folks, it might happen a few times over the coming months. Here’s why.
It’s the new AusAlert system: the federal government-run emergency warning system designed to hone in on phones in a crisis zone and send them critical warnings and alerts.
And at 2.00pm AEST on Monday July 27, 2026, you’ll see (and hear) it in action as phones across Australia will erupt with the emergency alert test tone.
What is AusAlert?
AusAlert is designed to send geographically targeted emergency messages to mobile phones with an accuracy of about 160 metres. Unlike traditional SMS warnings, it uses cell broadcast technology, which pushes messages directly through mobile towers to devices in a defined area.
That matters because SMS systems can clog under pressure. During major bushfires or floods, networks can jam as thousands of people try to call, text or check social media. Cell broadcast messages are not affected by that congestion. They sit above the traffic.
In plain terms, it is the difference between joining a long queue and having a loudspeaker address everyone at once.
The Albanese Government expects AusAlert to be fully operational by October 2026, ahead of the 2026-27 high risk weather season. The July test is designed to prove the system works at scale and to familiarise the public with the tone and format of the alert.
Before the national test, community trials will run in June 2026 across urban, regional and remote areas in every state and territory. Locations include Majura in the ACT, Launceston in Tasmania, Port Douglas in Queensland, Liverpool in NSW, Geelong in Victoria, Tennant Creek in the NT, Goomalling in WA, Port Lincoln in South Australia and Queanbeyan in NSW as part of a cross border test.
Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain said the tests will ensure the technology performs as expected and build awareness before it is needed in a real disaster.
“This is an important project that will help us and emergency services organisations warn people when they are in harm’s way, saving lives and protecting property during a disaster, delivering on a key finding from the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements.”
That Royal Commission, established after the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires, found Australia’s warning systems were fragmented and sometimes inconsistent. A modern, nationally consistent cell broadcast system was one of its key recommendations.
Can you opt out of AusAlert or the national test?
Because the system is designed to reach everyone in a defined risk zone, not just those who have signed up. Cell broadcast messages are pushed to all compatible devices connected to towers in the targeted area. There is no subscription list. There is no app to download. There is no box to untick.
From a civil liberties perspective, that will make some people uneasy. From an emergency management perspective, it’s the whole point.
Warnings only save lives if people receive them. During fast moving disasters such as bushfires, cyclones or flash floods, minutes matter. An opt in model leaves gaps. A universal broadcast does not.
The July 27 test will be national and unavoidable for compatible phones. It will validate the system’s full capability and support public awareness ahead of the formal rollout.
The government will also launch a dedicated AusAlert website as part of a broader public awareness campaign explaining how the system works and what people should do if they receive an alert.
When the tone sounds in July, it will be a drill. The next time, it may not be.
Australia’s climate is producing more intense and frequent extreme weather events. The question is no longer whether large scale disasters will strike, but when and where.
